Review - microwave processing of materials: part III

Abstract

[Abstract]: Part I and part II of the paper in the same series, Review Microwave Processing of Materials: Part I and Review Microwave Processing of Materials: Part II, described the fixed frequency microwave processing of materials and variable frequency processing of materials respectively. This paper, Review Microwave Processing of Materials: Part III, details the simulation of fixed and variable frequency heating and processing of materials. Numerical techniques applied by different researchers include finite-element time-domain (FE-TD), finite-difference time-domain (FD-TD) and finite-volume time-domain (FV-TD). Two successful examples of fixed frequency heating simulation packages developed at two Australia universities are described. One American, one British and one Germany simulation codes are cited. Their advantages and limitations are also discussed. The cost and benefits of using fixed and variable frequency facilities are also described in detail. The cost of a complete system of fixed frequency facility of 2.45 GHz (NRC, 1994; Sheppard, 1988) is approximately 1600-8000 Australian dollars per kW. While the cost of a complete system for a variable frequency microwave (VFM) oven of 750 W is as high as 330,000 Australian dollars.